


Family

by gladdecease



Category: Heroes (TV)
Genre: Alternate Universe, Angst with a Happy Ending, Bechdel Test Pass, Community: heroes_holidays, Family Secrets, Gen
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2007-05-11
Updated: 2007-05-11
Packaged: 2017-10-15 13:57:06
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,810
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/161499
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/gladdecease/pseuds/gladdecease
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>In a slightly happier alternate universe, Nathan and Claire have father-daughter time.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Family

**Author's Note:**

  * For [jatam](https://archiveofourown.org/gifts?recipient=jatam).



> Originally written for [jatam](http://jatam.livejournal.com/)'s request of "{FIC} Nathan, Claire (Gen) – Father/Daughter time." for [heroes_holidays](http://community.livejournal.com/heroes_holidays/) 's Spring gift exchange.

Claire sighed, glaring a hole through the window. Right now, just about anything would be better than looking to her right, where Angela Petrelli was watching with an increasingly annoying patience.

“Are the clouds very interesting, Claire?” Angela smiled wryly; Claire could pull the expression instantly from memory, after the weeks spent with her in Paris. “Or is it just that I’m very boring?”

After a long silence, of Claire staring out the window and Angela watching Claire stare out the window, a flight attendant approached with their meals. Claire took to the baked fish like school food - that is, she stabbed at it idly, then pushed it around her plate to make it look eaten. Angela smiled to herself and slid her chocolate cake onto Claire’s tray.

Claire looked at the cake for a moment, then turned to Angela. “It reminds me of my mom’s cupcakes.”

“Ah, yes. Nothing is ever quite like mom made.” Angela smiled. “But for the seats we’ve got, it had better be pretty close.”

Claire laughed weakly at that, and their friendship was momentarily repaired.

* * *

Nathan glanced at his watch. The plane was due in an hour, but knowing airports these days, it would take him an hour to get close enough to find them… he wanted to pace and burn off this nervous energy, but now was neither the time or place. He had just finished a news conference - the fifth one since the election.

Isaac had been right, Linderman had been right, even _Hiro_ had been right, in his own twisted way (except for the mudslide). He had won.

Nathan Petrelli, Congressman. It sounded even better now that it was fact. He hid a smile, and noticed Heidi waiting for him.

“Hey,” he smiled, kissing her lightly. “What are you doing around here? The boys must be due home from school soon.”

“They’ll be fine,” Heidi laughed gently. “You’re the one I’m worried about.”

“W-what do you mean?”

“You just seem, I don't know, tense. I thought it might be election stuff, but it’s been getting worse since the election instead of better.”

“Oh, that. It’s just… well, everything put together has been a bit overwhelming. After all this campaigning, I won - and suddenly the world’s my best friend, or at least the city is. And my brother - ”

“Nathan.” He stopped babbling and looked his wife in the face. She wasn’t frowning, but he could read the disappointment on her face like a map. “You don’t have to lie to me, Nathan. I’m not one of your voters. I’m your wife.”

Nathan frowned. “I know you are, Heidi.”

“Then how can you treat me like you do, Nathan? I don't mean to be cruel, but I’ve done so much for you - for this election. I was even able to stand up with you at the victory news conference. But it still seems like you’re holding back, that you’re hiding from me.” Heidi glanced at her husband firmly. “Husband and wife shouldn’t hide anything from each other.”

Nathan knew all of this, had heard all of this before, from Heidi and from everyone else. But today, from her, it was too much. He sat down heavily, his head in his hands. Heidi leaned over, placing a reassuring hand on his shoulder.

“Tell me, Nathan.”

He drew in a shuddering breath, and looked his wife in the face. “Okay.” He sighed. “Okay. Do you remember when Peter flew down to Texas to save a cheerleader?”

* * *

“Attention passengers. Flight 285 from Paris, France to New York, New York, will be landing in approximately 15 minutes. Please buckle your seat belts and raise your tray to the upright position.”

As the announcement repeated in French, Claire glanced out the window. Through the bursts of white, she could see the sea getting lighter as it grew shallower. A large cloud blocked her view, and she turned to Angela.

“Do they know I’m coming back?”

Angela had that face that said what a stupid question Claire had asked. “Of course they do, dear. We called your father yesterday, remember?”

Claire shook her head. “That’s not what I mean. Does… Heidi, do Simon and Monty know I’m coming? Do they even know who I _am_?”

Angela was quiet for a long moment.

“I don’t know.”

“Is he even going to see me, or is he going to pretend I’m not his daughter?” _Again_ , she didn't bother adding.

“…he wouldn’t do that, Claire.”

Claire turned her entire body to stare at her grandmother. “How do you know? Does he have any _other_ illegitimate children that he’s welcomed with open arms?”

“I know because he is my son,” Angela said stiffly. “And because he loves his family.” Claire moved to protest, but Angela interrupted her. “ _All_ of his family.”

* * *

“Where are we going, Daddy?” Monty asked curiously from the backseat.

Nathan turned to look at his son. “We’re picking up Grandma from the airport.”

“Where did Grandma go?” Simon looked at the skyscrapers passing by the car. “She didn’t tell us she was going anywhere…”

“Well,” Heidi smiled, holding Simon’s hand gently, “she had to go somewhere with a friend.”

Monty turned at this. “One of Grandma’s friends?”

Simon wrinkled his nose. “Not like _Auntie Muriel_?”

Nathan laughed; Auntie Muriel was one of his mother’s friends from school, who doted endlessly on Simon and Monty because she didn’t have grandchildren of her own. She always brought the boys candy they didn’t like, and pinched their cheeks when she saw them. “No, nothing like Auntie Muriel. Actually…”

He glanced at his wife in the rear-view mirror. She nodded and smiled reassuringly. Although she hadn’t expected the news of Claire, having thought she was dead (as Nathan had only months ago), Heidi had too kind a heart to try to turn the child away. Besides that, she knew her husband. Even if she had tried, she couldn’t make him turn one of his children away.

“What, Daddy?”

“Who is Grandma’s friend?”

“She’s your big sister.”

The car was silent for a moment as Simon and Monty took in this statement. Then all hell broke loose. Or, rather, the young Petrelli brothers started asking questions.

“We have a sister?”

“A girl?”

“What’s her name?”

“What’s she look like?”

“Why haven’t we met her before?”

Heidi laughed lightly, patting the boys on the shoulder. “Calm down, Simon, Monty. You can ask Claire all those kinds of questions when we pick her up.”

“Claire?”

“That’s her name,” Nathan smiled to himself as he drove into the parking lot at the JFK International Airport. “Claire.”

* * *

“How many bags did you have, dear?”

Claire looked over the crowd at the luggage carousel, trying to get a glimpse of her suitcases. “Just two, Grandma. Do you already have yours?”

Angela stared into the crowd for a moment, then pushed her way through. A moment later, she came back, pulling two bags behind her.

“Here’s the last of mine, and yours too.” Claire took the bag from her grandmother and started walking towards the center of the airport. Angela followed quietly, noticing Claire get lost in her thoughts.

The two of them had arrived right on time, with no impressive crowd waiting. Claire had almost expected her father wouldn’t show up, but Peter -

Maybe he didn’t know she was coming back today. Still, Claire hoped she would get to see him again. Peter and Nathan Petrelli; her uncle and father - an empathic savior and a would-be protector. What a pair the two made in her life.

Nathan… even after what Angela had said, Claire didn’t really believe her. She was an illegitimate child, not wanted by her nature, and both her biological parents had no clue she existed for fifteen years of her life! He wouldn’t be there. She’d probably have to live under an assumed name with her grandmother, or maybe Angela would make her go to Canada, or -

“ _Claire_!”

She stopped short, realizing that she had been walking too fast, and had left her grandmother behind. Angela walked up to her.

“Sorry.”

“I’m fine, dear. But that wasn’t me calling your name.”

Claire looked bemusedly at Angela. “What?”

Angela smiled. “Listen, and turn around.”

“Mom! Claire!”

“Grandma!”

“Grandma!”

Claire looked past the twin brown heads rushing Angela. There he was, watching her with the biggest smile on his face that she had ever seen. And next to him, in the wheelchair - was that Heidi? Oh god…

The smile that had been spreading on her face fell. Did she know? What did she think? Did Heidi hate her? What if she wanted her to leave? Would Nathan do it? What would she -

But then Heidi had stood on shaky legs, and hugged Claire to her tightly.

“It’s wonderful to meet you, Claire.”

Claire stared blankly past Heidi’s shoulder, and weakly hugged her back. “You too,” she said in a faint voice.

“Hey, it’s her!”

“It’s Claire!”

And suddenly there were things attached to her legs, and Claire had to step away from Heidi to get a good look at them. Clinging to either leg was a small boy with brown hair. Claire had a feeling she knew who they were.

“Let me guess…” She pointed to the taller of the two. “Simon?”

He nodded, posing in a way that reminded Claire of a superhero, hands akimbo. “That’s me!”

She looked at the other one. “Then you must be Monty.”

The younger boy smiled, and she knew just where he got it. “Yep!”

“Well, it’s great to meet the two of you. I’m Claire.”

“We know that already!”

“You’re our _sister_!”

Claire couldn't help but smile, facing their adorable childish energy. “And you’re my _brothers_!” Bending down to eye level, she wrapped an arm around either boy. “It’s so good to finally meet you.”

“Hey, I don’t mean to interrupt, but we should get your things out to the car.” Claire looked up at Nathan, who picked up the larger of her bags. “Come on, we’ve got a little party waiting at home.”

Claire stared at him for a long moment. Nathan smiled self-consciously, then picked up the other bag. Angela quickly distracted the boys and walked out of the airport, Heidi following them with a smile on her face.

Nathan coughed. Brought out of her daze, Claire did the only thing she could think to do. Not caring that both his hands were busy holding her bags, or that her grandmother and Heidi were waiting for them, she wrapped her arms around Nathan and held him tightly. He jumped a bit, and put down the bags.

“Thank you, thank you, thank you…” Claire buried her face in her father’s chest.

“Uh… you’re welcome Claire.” He placed a hand on her head and rubbed her hair. “But you don’t need to thank me. You’re family.”

Claire squeezed him tighter.

“ _Family_ …”


End file.
